Deaft gear for trains



mwmx

B. S. DICKERSQN DRAFT GEAR FOR TRAINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed Aug. 4, 1922 INVENTOIR EYE/QM 6 DIG/(E550!!! w. 9, W23. mmns B. S. DICKERSON DRAFT GEAR FOR TRAINS Filed Aug. 4., 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/G.5.

llll

till

BYEAM DICKERSUN, 01E MATTQON, ILLJINQIQ.

DRAFT am FUR 'JIPBMNh.

application filed August a, that. .herlel Elle. tihfil'i.

with the draft appliances of a train for taleing up slack or lost motion between the vari ous units making up the train and for maintaining a certain, resilient state while the train is in motion on a track of varying grades and during sudden changes in spec A further feature of the invention is in so constructin the parts of the device that the engine will start a heavy train without the necessity of gathering slack as is conimon, also to receive and cushion the impact of cars when colliding by virtue of the various resilient features embodied in the device,

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a draft gear arrangement that will transmit the ener of the draw bar force of the engine to til iie train and which will function in such a manner that the in creasing momentum of the moving-engine will be transmitted to the difierent units off the train in proportion to the resistance en countered, thus avoiding the development of destructive strains in the draft gear and car frame.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a combined air and liquid cushioning means for receiving the various impacts, means being provided for gradually increasing the cushioning ed'ect ot the liquid incident to the termination of the movements of the parts directed against the'fluid.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter more fully set forth and pointed out in the accompanying specification.

In the accompanymg drawings,

Figure 1 is a detail longitudinal sectional view through a draft appliance, such as is used in connection with steam propelled or electric form of train equipment,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view through a slightly modified structure,

Figure 4 is a similar view of a further modified structure,

Figure 5 is a debail sectional view of a modified form of a similar construction used in connection with the remainder of the draft appliance,

Fire 6 is a similar view of a further M modified construction, I

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view of a lever operated mechanism, and

lBi re 8 is a detail sectional view in which a belows construction is used for receiving 5 the air pressure.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a frame such as is commonl used on railway eines and coaches and in said frame is slidaly mounted theusual or any 1 prefer an: form of draw bar 2', the inner end of which is connected to a head 3 attached to a carrier a which is slidablymounted 7 the carrier a distance apart. Attachedto m the frame 1 on opposite sides of the block 5 are cylinders 6 and 7, the cylinder 6 having a piston 8 slidably mounted in one end thereof to which is connected a piston rod 9, said rod projecting through one end of the cylht inder d and normally abuts ainst one of the block 5. Fixed within the cylinder 6 is a partition wall. 10 through which are formed ports 11 for the pasage of liquid, such as oils or the like, when pressure is as applied against the liquid by the movement of the piston 8, said piston having cone-like projections 12 so arranged that before completion of the stroke of the piston they will enter the ports 11 and gradually out oh the as r dowel? the liquid therethrough and increase the pressure and cushioning efi'ect of the liquid against the piston, and if desired the ports me be sli htly tapered to conform ,7 more or ess to t e contour of the projecmo tions 12.- On the oppositeside of the partition walllO from the piston 8 is an auxiliary piston 13 which also forms a separating movable wall between the two ends of the cylinder, and by introducing air under pressure into the compartment 14: formed by the auxiliary piston, resistance to the move ment of the auxiliary piston will be set up when pressure of the liquid is directed against the auxiliary piston through movement of the main piston 8, thereby provid ing a combined air and liquid cushion for the forward or backward movement of the carrier and parts associated therewith. The air may be obtained from any suitable source, butis preferably derived from the usual air line 15, commonly associated with trains of this nature, said air line having a valve 16 for preventing the discharge of the air from the compartment 14 when pressure is directed thereagainst, or when the train air line is disconnected.

The cylinder 7 has a iston 17 therein similar t the piston 8, tie piston rod 1.8 connected therewith extending through the end of the cylinder 7 and contacting with the block 5 on the opposite side thereof from the rod 9, consequently any inward or rearward movement of the carrier 4 will be directed a ainst the rod 18 and piston 17. The cylin er 7 is also provided with a partition wall 19 through which are formed ports 20 similar to the ports 11, the piston 17 having substantially cone-shaped projections 21 for co-operation with said ports 20. On the opposite side of the partition 19 from the piston 17 is an auxiliary piston 22 which forms a compartment 23 at one end of the cylinder 7 to receive air under pressure, the air line 15 also being connected with the compartment 23. With this form of device when forward movement is im arted to the train units to which the cylin ers are connected premure will be directed against the fluid within the cylinder 6 and the air within the compartment 14 of said cylinder, thereby eliminatin sudden jars or strains on the parts of t e train equipment, and

owing to the pressure of the air within the cylinder, as soon as the pull of the draw bar is released, the expansion of the air within the compartment 14 will return the liquid through the ports 11 and force the piston 8 towards the rear end of the cylinder 6 thereby taking up any slack that may occur incident to releasing the pull on the draw bar. This same action is true of the cylinder 7 and, parts associated therewith, as when a rearward or inward thrust is given to the draw bar 2.

In Figure 3 of the drawings, all of the parts of the device are similar except that Individual cylinders 24 and 25 are rovided for the air and associated with said cylinde are additionalcylinders 26 and 27 for re iving the liquid, the pistons 28 and 29 in the cylinders 24 and 25 respectively havlng elongated piston rods 30 and 31 which project through the cylinders 26 and 27 and ave auxiliary pistons 32 and 33 thereon which are slidable in the cylinders 26 and 27 when the rods 30 and 31 are moved lengthwise. Instead of having partitions in the cylinders through which ports are formed for the passage of the liquid, the walls of the c lin ers 26 and 27 are provided with tapere channels 34 and 35 respecidly to the rear of said auxiliar pistons,but-

as the pistons near the ends 0 their initial strokes the taperof the channels will gradually decrease or check the flow of the li uld. I a

11 Figure 4 of the drawings,.a pair of cylinde1s36 and 37 are provided for the reception of a liquid and air respectively and in this construction the carrier 4 is dispensed with and a plunger 38 connected with the head 3, said plunger projecting through one end of the cylinder 36 and into a secondary cylinder 39 slidably mounted within the cylinder 36, the liquid within the cylinder 36 passing from end to end of the secondary cylinder as it is moved'lengthwise by the plunger through elongated tapered channels 40 provided in the interior wall of the cylinder 36.

The secondary cylinder 39 has a pisto 'rod 41 connected therewith which extends into the air cylinder 37 and is connected with a piston 42 so that when aforward pull is given to the plunger 38 the air within the cylinder 37 will be compressed. The secondary cylinder 39 is constructed similar to the cylinders 6 and v7 and has a partition wall 43 through which are'formed ports 44 for the passage of the liquid from end to end of the secondarycylind'er, the plunger 38 having a piston 45 which 'com resses the liquid within the secondary cylin er, said piston 45 having projections 46 for co-operation with the ports 44 for graduall cutting off the flow of liquid therethroug On the opposite side of the partition 43 from the piston 45 is an auxiliary piston 47 which has sliding action within the secondary cylinder and is adapted to compress the air that is entered in one end of the secondary cylinder from the air cylinder 37, a passage 48 bein vformed through the piston rod 41 so t at the air may readily enter the compartment 49' formed by the auxiliary piston 47, the escape of the air from comu artment 49 being controlled by a valve 50. he pistons within the seconds cylinder control and cushionthe rearwar thrust of thehplunger 38 and parts associated therewit In Figure 5 of the drawings, a single cylinder 51 is provided which is divided into compartments 52, 53 and 54 by partitions 55 and 56, the partition 56 having rts 57 therethrough for the passage of liquid. The

compartment 52 receives air under pressure while the compartment 54 contains a li uid, and the compartment 53 receives bot air and liquid, a piston 58 within the compartment 53 separatin the liquid and air. A. piston 59 is mounte in the compartment 4. In a draft gear for trains or the like, a stationary frame, a carrier slidably mounted in said frame having a head at one end and a block at the opposite end, a draw bar fixed to and movable with said carrier, a pair of stationary cylinders, one at each side of said block, one portion of each cylinder being adapted to receive a fluid and another portion a cushion of air under compression,

tons, means carried by the pistons for graduall reducing and cutting off the flow-of the liquid through said ports, and an auxiliary piston in each cylinder adapted to comress the air in the cylinders when moved in one direction and causethe liquid to return through said ports when moved in the v opposite dlrection.

' 5. In a draft gear for'trains or the like a draw bar, a carrier connected with sai draw bar, a connecting block at one end of said carrier, a cylinder on o posite sides of said block, each c linder being adapted to contain both liqui and air under compression, an auxiliary piston separating the lifiuid from the compressed air, istons operah e in one direction by said lock, means for causing liquid to resist the movement of said pistons, partitions between said air and auxiliary pistons, said partitions having ports therethrough,vand means for gradually increasing resistance of the liquid against said pistons.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at lndianapolis, Indiana, this 31st day of July, A. D. nineteen hundied and twent -two.

BYRAM DICKERSON. [L 5.]-

Witnesses:

M. L. Snuum, Cam S. Far-12.; 

